Lock



June 11,V 1940. -c E ,.-YFE 2,203,819

LOCK

Filed sept. 14. 1937 2 sheets-sheet 1 C. E. FYFE June 11, 1940.

LOCK

2 SheetS-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1937 public. l sliding orswinging doorsinthe various partitions.

Patented .une `11,3 1940 2,203,819* c Look1 Charles E. Fyfe, Cedarhurst,N.` Y, "Application september 14,1937, serialnd. 163,723 3 claims. (c1.'zo-99T` This invention relates to locks and more particularly to trickor secret locks invwhich the manner of opening is not known to thegeneral Suchv locks are desirable in banks on An object of the inventionis to provide iii a lock of this character a method of operating thesame that is simple, positive,land practicable but nevertheless obscure,so that unauthorized parties attempting to operate same will be confusedand delayed andthus more readily observed.

`lilmbodirnents of the invention are illustrated in the drawings asadaptable to sliding and w swinging doors respectively.

`The invention `consistsof a latch-bolt that is raised, or in a modiedform retracted, to open the door. `In both instances a swinging lever isprovided constituting what I may be termed a hidden key,` for actuatingthe `bolt by the partial rotation of said lever.` The device is furthercharacterized bya hidden key hole consisting of an opening through aplate located verticay in a plane between the bolt andthe operatinglever, the openingbeing of a `coniiguration corresponding to that ofthelever. The lever is shown as forming a part of a transverse rod providedwith handles at either` end. I

To operate the lock it is first necessary to rotateleither handletogether with the rod and lever to flndthe key hole. This isaccomplished by bringing the key-lever into proper registration themechanism to its initial position of rest upon` releasing the handle. l

In the drawings: I Figure l is a side elevation of the lock with aportion of a sliding door, door jamb and partition shown.

Figurel 2 isla central vhorizontal section of Figure l but showing thevoperating key-lever in registration with the key hole.`

`Figure 3 is a vertical section of theline 3 3 of Figure 2.

` Figure 4f is a vertical section of a modiiied form` of the inventionsuitable for swinging doors.

, employed,

Figure 5` isa side elevation of `a modied form of the `invention inwhich a supplemental key is vFigure 6` isacentral horizontal section ofFigure'5.` I l Figure 7 is a vertical section on the line 'l-'l oi`Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the latch-lever pin, and, I i Figure 9is an elevation partly in section showing the supplemental key and acooperating portion` of the `side wall of` the lock in section.

Refer now to the drawings, in which I is a portion of a sliding door towhich the lock I I may w be secured against one side thereof as byrivets I2 I passing through the woven wire i3 of the door andthroughaplate I4 on the other side of the wire mesh, so that the plateand lock will be held in clamped relation to the door in cooperationwith the frame I of the door.

The lock comprises a rectangular casing It having a plate or cover Ilsuitably secured thereto. Within the casing or housing I6 is a latchboltI8 pivotally mounted on a cross pin I9 and spaced` from the wall of thecasing and the plate Il by sleeves 2U and 2i respectively. The right endof the casing is apertured as at 22, through which the outer end of thebolt projects and within which it is free to `move vertically to alimited extent. The outer end of the bolt `is notched at 23 to provide ashoulder 2li and is bevelled at 25.

. To the door jamb 2G of the partition on which the `door Ill isslidably mounted, is secured a keeper 2l apertured as at 28 to receivethe notched end of the bolt.

Itwill be apparent in the drawings that when the door is slid toward thejamb 26 the bevelled portion 25 ofthe bolt will engage the lower edge ofthe aperture 28Ito thereby liftY and rock the belt 1 about the pivot I9.When the door is fully closed the shoulder` 24 will fall beyond this`edge to lock the door, such `movement being accelerated by the spring29.

Mechanism is provided for actuating the bolt tokunlock the door. I Thisincludes a transverse shaft or rod 301V journaled inthe side wall of thecasing and in the cover plate, for rotation beneath `the bolt I8.

The outside of the shaft 30 has secured thereto a push button `3I, andalso a finger piece 32 which` latter extends at an angle normal to theaxis of the shaft 3@ to which latter it is pivotally secured as at 33,and through a slot in the side of the button 3l. The opposite or insideend of the shaft 30 is provided with a knurled knob 34 secured thereto.`I

A key-hole plate 35is secured to the bottom wall of the casing I6 in any`suitable manner and extends upwardly in a plane between the bolt I8 andthe adjacent side wall of the casing |16.

On the other side of the bolt I8 is a washer 36. The shaft 30 extendsthrough the washer4 36 and through a key-hole opening 31 in theA plate35.

Thus the bolt I8 when operated is guided between the plate 35 and washer36, the latter being substantially equal in thickness to the clearancebetween the bolt I8 and the adjacent surface of plate I1. The plate 35is preferably mounted close to the opposite side of the bolt I8.

Forming an integral part of the shaft 38 isa key-lever 38 of a shapeandsize to fit `snugly within that part of key-hole opening 31 that isnot occupied by shaft 38. A spring 39 engages an annular groove in shaft38 andurges the shaftl -outwardly to an extent limited by the contact ofknob 34 with plate I4.

Normally the finger `piece 32 hangs in a vertical plane as shown inFigure l. When it is desired to open the door from the outside, theoperator engages the loop 32 in linger piece 32 with the index nger ofhis left hand and. partially rotates same in a clockwise direction withhis thumb on button 3|, until key-lever 38 has come into alignment withkey hole 31. Then by pushing in with the thumb, the key-lever 38 againsturge of spring 38 will pass through key hole 31 and into a planecorresponding to that ofthe bolt i8 and therefore directly beneath same.Rotation of the parts in a counter clockwise direction will nowobviously raise the bolt and free it from the keeper 21 so that the doormaybe permitted to slide rearwardly into an open position. From theforegoing it-will be apparent how the'lock may be opened from the insideof the door, by rotating and then pulling the knob 34.

The parts are restored to normal positionv automatically because spring29 is strong enough to` force bolt I8 downwardly against key-lever 38,rotate same and thereby also lift finger piece 32 until further movementis arrested by the engagement of the bolt with the lower edge oflaperture 22. The key-lever will then be in realignment with the keyhole 31 whereupon spring 38 is free to move the shaft 30 and with it thekey-lever 38 the latter passing again through key hole 31.

When key-lever 38 is clear of the key hole, finger piece 32 will dropinto its lowermost position and swing key-lever 38 again out of align,-ment with key hole 31, but now such position of the key-lever will be onthe opposite side of plate 35 than just heretofore.

In Figure 4 a sliding bolt 40 is shown, the outer end of which isbevelled `for swinging engagement with a keeper 4I. Guides 42 slidablysupport the bolt 48 in conjunction with aperture 43 in casing I6. Thebolt 48 is notched at 44 to receive one end of a spring 45'the other endof which is secured to casing I6', and which urges the bolt intolatching and `locking position. The bolt is also cut away along itsbottom surface to provide a shoulder 46 and has a stoppin 41 to limitits movements toward the right, or' outwardly.

The operation of this modified form of the invention is the same asheretofore described except that the bolt is retracted to open the lookinstead of being lifted.

The parts are restored to normal position by spring 45 as soon asyfinger piece 32 is released because shoulder 46 by engagement with.keylever 38 will rotate shaft`36 clockwise until keylever 38 isrealigned with key hole 31, and then v'spring 39 will actuate shaft 38to return keylever 38 through key hole 31.

To assist in the realignment of key-lever 38 l with key hole 31, aprojection 35 may be punched out of the key hole so as to extendinwardly at a right angle to the face of the plate 35 with its uppersurface flush with the lower edge of the key hole 31. Projection 35 alsofunctions to compel counter clockwise rotation of the keylever 38 whenthe same is in its bolt-actuating position.

Referring to Figures to 9, another form of K lock is illustrated that is.generally similar to is provided with an annular groove 53 normallyaligned with lever 5I so that the forward edge of the latter may be heldwithin said groove by a spring 54 and against the side of theshaft,

which latter serves as a stop. When the parts are in this position theforward edge of lever 5I also extends into the plane of a hole 51 thepurpose of which will presently appear. As shown in Figure 7 theposition of the parts above described will lock shaft 38 against axialmovement in either direction.

For the purpose of unlocking shaft 38 from the outside of door I8 lever5I has a hooked portion 55 which may be engaged by the key 58 to swingthe lever in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 7, about pivot52, and out of engagement with the groove 53. The lever pin 56, shown inFigure 8, may then be inserted through the hole 51 extending throughbotlh plates I4 .and I1. This pin will then prevent the lever 5I frombeing retracted by spring 54 may again pully lever 5I into lockingposition,

key 58 being merely used to move the parts into unlocking position. Thedoor may then be closed and the bolt I8 will latch in a well knownmanner. It will be understood that pin 56 may also be used to unlock thedoor from the inside because of its bevelled surface 56', shouldthe doorbe locked inadvertently.

Key 56 consists of a steml 58 with the usual fiattened ringer portion atone end, and a dog 59 pivoted at 68 to the other end. The dog has anopen slot 6I a'nd a rounded surface 62.

In addition to key-hole opening 31 for keylever 38', key-hole plate 35has a key hole 63 for the insertion of key 58, and similarly a key hole63' is provided in the side wall of casing I6.

It will`be noted that key hole 63 is circular with shown in'full linesin Figure 9 its upper edge will be above the topsurface of key stem 58.Abutting surfaces shown in this figure prevent the dog from falling to alower position. Therefore when the key is vinserted in key hole 63 thedog l58 may pass through the slotted portion thereof.

Key hole 63 having the longer slot, permits the key U to beWithdrawnwhen the dog 59 is in the position shown in dotted lines inFigure 9. During this movement the dog will engage the p top edge of theslot and be moved backto the `position shown in` full lines.`

For., the purpose of moving the dog 59 into the dotted position ofFigure `9 so that it may engage` lever 5l, plate Il has a projection 64extending inwardly therefrom, when key 5D, as shown in l Figure 9, isinserted through key holes 63 and 63, surface E2 of the dog 59 `willengage projecy tion 64. `Then as the key is pushed furtherinwardlyagainst the sloping surface of said prof jection, suchengagement will tilt dog 59 into the dotted position of Figure 9. i l

After the dog has thus been tilted rotation of the key` in acounter-clockwise, direction, as in Figure '7, and downwardly as inFigure G, will then bring dog 59 into engagement with hook of lever 5I,and upon further slight rotation of the key the lever will be rockedawayfrom shaft 30' against the opposition of spring` 511; Pin 56 may then beinserted to maintain the lever in said position, Any` thrust axially ofshaft 30' upon lever 5| when in locked position will be taken in onedirection bya lug on casing IE',

and in the opposite Vdirection by plate I1.` A pin l 66 is employed toprovide means for guiding the dog into realignment with the slot of keyhole 63 to facilitate withdrawal of key 50.` 1

To protect the occupant of the cage or room from. undesired interruptionalsec'ond hole 5l extending through the plates I4 and I1 may be providedand will permit the occupant to place thepin 56 therein and thus preventthe key 50 from engaging lever 5I. y

I claim: l l 1.` Ina lock having a housing, mechanism inl cluding alatch-bolt, a rotatable sliding shaft, a

handle secured to said shaft exteriorly of said housing `adapted to bothrotate'and slide said shaft, a` key lever adapted to Amove with saidshaft, and a stationary platewithin said housing having-'a key hole,said plate and the keylever being hidden within said housin-g, and

`means operable from the exterior of the housing leffective to both``rotate and slide said `shaft whereby when said handle is actuated saidkeylevermay -be aligned with and moved through said key hole and actuatethe latch-bolt, and further means for automatically restoring the saidmechanism to its ynormal position following said actuation and therelease of'said handle.

2; In a lock having a housing, `mechanism includinga latch-bolt, arotatable sliding shaft, a key-lever carried by said shaft, and aplatehaving a key l1ole,`the latter and the key-lever `being hidden withinsaid housing, andlmeans operable from the exterior of the housingeffective to both l rotate and slide said shaft whereby the key-levermay be aligned withand moved through said key hole l and actuate thelatch-bolt, and further means for automatically` restoring the said`mechanism to its normal position following said actuation, includingspring-means adapted to urgelsaid latch-bolt toward and into engagementwith said key-lever, and rotatev said sliding shaft, and furing having`a key hole, said `plate and the key` lever being hidden Within saidhousngg and means operable from theexterior ofthe housing effective toboth `rotate and slidesaid shaft wherebyA when said handle is actuatedsaid keylever may" be alignedwith and Imoved through said key hole andactuatejlthe latch-bolt, and a u,

spring for normally urging said shaft V*and keylever in a direction awayfrom `said plate inde-` pendently of said handle.

n CHARLES E. r'vr'ir.y t

